Safe-lock



(ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. O. HARRIS.

SAFE LOOK.

No. 364,922. 4 Patented June 14, 1887.

N. PETERS, Phulo-Mhcgnpher, Washingloll. DJ;

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J O. HARRIS.

SAFE LOOK.

, Patented June 14, 1887.

' ww: 0 M

N. PETERS. Fhaio-Lilhogmphcr. washingmn. DA;

(ModeL) 3 Sheets--Sheet 3,

J. G. HARRIS.

SAFE LOOK.

No. 364,922. Patented June 14, 1887.

II B 1 N, PETERS, Phowmhugnphor. Washmpion. D. c

UNITED STATES PATE T JAMES C. HARRIS, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

SAFE-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,922, dated June 14,1887.

Serial No. 218,860. (ModeLl To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES 0. Hnnms, of Dayton, in the county ofMontgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Safe-Locks; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of locks for safe-doors in whichthe lock-bolts are actuated solely by means located inside of the safe,and more especially to locks of that class in which the bolt works arecast and retracted by springs, and in which a time mechanism is employedfor controlling the springs by which the bolts are retracted to unlockthe safe automatically at a desired time.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction in thedevices for compressing and releasing the springs by which the bolt-workis actuated, in means for controlling the springs by which the bolts arecast in looking the safe, and in other details of construction indevices of the character described, as will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointedout in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is aview in elevation of the inner side of a safe-door, showing thebolt-works, and an exterior view of a device embodying my invention foractuating the same, the bolts being shown in their retracted position.Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts with the bolts in theirposition when the door is locked, a part of the casing of the actuatingdevices being broken away to show the springs thereof. Fig. 3 is asectional view of the actuating device, taken upon line 00 (r of Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the same, taken upon line 00 ac of Fig. 1.Fig. 5 is an elevation ofthe actuating device removed from the door, asviewed from the rear. Fig. 6 is a view of the inner side of a safe-door,illustrating a novel means for releasing the springs by which the boltsare retracted.

As illustrated in said drawings, A is the safedoor, which is providedwith the usual clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

vertical bars, A A, in which the bolts B B are supported and constructedto slide.

B is a vertical carrier-bar, which is attached to the bolts B B, and bywhich the latter are moved.

0 is a shell or case containing the bolt-actuating devices, said ease,as herein shown, being formed by an integral casting, open at its innerside and provided at its top and bottom with flanges c 0, through whichare inserted screws for securing the case to the inner surface of thedoor.

D is a sliding plate or casting located with in the case 0 and providedwith a stem, D, which extends through a slot at the end of the caseadjacent to the carrying-bar B, and is connected with the latter bymeans of a head, (I, on the stem, engaged with an L- shaped plate, Bwhich is attached to the outer surface of the said bar B,and isbentinwardly and provided with a notch, 7), adapted to receive the part ofthe shank adjacent to the head (I, as At the end of the case 0 nearestthe carrying-bar B the part of the end wall, 0, of the said case 0adjacent to the safe-door is absent, and the opening thus formed isoccupied by a sliding plate or casting, E, adapted to rest against theadjacent surface of the plate 13.

F F are a series of springs interposed between the end wall, c, of thecase 0 adjacent to the bar B and the sliding plate D, said springs beingfor the purpose of retracting the bolts, and being arranged to operatethereon through the medium of the plate D, the stem D, the plate B andcarrying-bar B.

G Gare a second series of springs employed to throw the bolts in lockingthe door. These springs G G are located between the plate D and thesliding plate E, and operate by their expansion to thrust the plate Etoward the plate B and to thereby move the carryingbar B and the bolts BB.

In connection with the springs and connected parts, arranged as abovestated, a detent is provided for holding the bolts in their retractedposition against the action of the springs G G while the door is beingclosed, together with means for automatically moving the said detent toallow the said springs G G to act when the door is fully closed, anddevices are also provided for moving the plate for compressing theseveral springs, together with carrying-bar B,to retract the bolts, thesliding.

plate E and springs G G being carried bodily backward with the plates Dand B when the latter are moved by the springsF F, in a mannerheretofore well known.

The novel devices for compressing and releasing the actuating-springs,together with the particular details of construction present in thedevice shown, will now be described. 7

D is a horizontal rack-bar cast upon or attached to the plateD, andextending toward the rear end of the case 0, and H is a revolvingtoothed pinion, mounted to rotate in the said case 0, and arranged tointer-mesh with the rack-bar D". The pinion H is, as herein shown,provided with a bearing, 0 in the front wall, C, of the case 0, and abearing, 0 for the inner end of the pinion is provided in a plate, 0,which is secured by screws 0 c .to projecting parts or lugs G 0* 0 0cast in the said case 0. At the outer end of the pinion H, exterior tothe wall 0 of the case, is located a metal disk, H, which is rigidlyattached to the pinion H, said disk being provided with a centralorifice, h, and with an aperture, it, near its periphery, for engagementwith studs or projections .upon a lever, whereby the pinion maybe turnedfor moving the plate D and compressing the springs F F and G G. Acompressing-lever suitable for the purpose is indicated by dotted linesin Fig. 1.

For holding the pinion from rotation after the springs have beencompressed, the disk H is provided with a spring-strip, H attached atone end to the edge of the disk and adapted to stand normally outside ofthe periphery of the disk at its opposite and free end, so as to form ashoulder, which is adapted to engage the short arm t of a lever, I,which is pivoted to the case 0 at a point adjacent to the disk, an'd'isconstructed to engage at the end of its opposite and longer arm, 2', amovable stop, J, which is connected with and actuated by a timemechanism, (indicated in the drawings as a whole by the letter K.) Inthe particular construction of the parts herein shown the stop J isformed upon adisk, J, which is pivotally supported upon the wall 0 ofthe case O by means of aheaded stud, j, said disk being provided with anupwardly-extending ar'm, .J', which is connected by means of a rod orbar, J, with the movable arm of the time mechanism. The arm t of thelever I is preferably made in the form of a pointed tooth or projectionupon a hub, I, through which the pivot 1 supporting the lever, passes;and the parts are so arranged that when the time mechanism has been setfor operation and the stop J placed in position to prevent the movementof the arm t" upward or in a direction to release the springs, and thedisk H'is rotated to compress thesprings, the spring-strip H will becompressed or th rust inwardly toward the disk until its free end haspassed the arm 2', when it will spring outwardly and engage said arm, soas to prevent the disk from turning backwardly, and thereby hold thesprings F F and G G from expanding. The placing of the lever I in theposition described before the springs are compressed is desirable, bothfor convenience in manipulation and to insure that the time mechanismshall invariably be set in operation before the door is closed.'

L L are stops upon the case 0 for limiting the movements of thelever I,said stopsbeing desirably provided with buffers or cushions Z Z, torcceivethe impact of the lever.

L is a roller, mounted upon a stud, Z, and adapted to bear upon thespring-stri p H Said roller serves to aid in pressing the springstripinwardly as the disk is rotated; but its main purpose is to hold thesaid spring-strip from bending or yielding outwardly in its middle partunder the strain thereon incident to the retention of theactuating-springs in their compressed condition.

To prevent excessive shock or strain upon the parts when the springs F Fare released for opening the safe, I preferably provide cushions orbuffers M M M within the case 0, in position to engage the plate D whenthe latter reaches the inner or rearward limit of its movement. Asherein shown, the said cushions consist of blocks of rubber held insockets or recesses formed in the case. The block M is-located at thebottom of the case, and is held ina recess formed in the integralprojection or lug C in position for engagement with thelower end oftheplate D. The cushion M is held in a recess in the rear wall of thecasein position to engage the end of the rackbar D The cushion M islocated in a space or opening formed between the top wall ofthe case 0and lug or projection 0 adjacent thereto, said cushion being exposed atits opposite the plate D strikes the opposite face of said cushion. .Bythis'nieans the impetus of the the pivot 1 of the lever I.

essential, as the same general result may be obtained by separatecushions arranged to engage the parts.

As a preferred construction in the plate D, the said plate is providedwith a central vertical plate or flange, (1, Figs. 3 and 4, extendingbetween the two groups of springs F F and G G, and the said plate orflange d is provided with lateral flanges d d at both sides, formingeells,in which the ends of the said several springs are located.

The casting E is preferably made with flanges e e at both its inner andouter edges and at its ends, said flanges affording broad exteriorbearing-surfaces, which, slide in contact with the face of the door andthe adjacent edge of the end wall, 0, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

To keep the springs F F and G G straight while beingcompressed,eylindric rods or bars f f and g g are preferably insertedtherein, said rods being preferably made of suitable length to formstops to limit the movement of the plate D in compressing the springs.

In order to prevent the possibility of the springs F F being released bymovement of the pinion H sufficient to free the disk H from the leverZsuch as may be produced by the shock or concussion caused by theexplosion of dynamite against the outer surface of the door-I preferablyattach to the outer face of the wall 0 of the case 0 a plate, N, whichis arranged adjacent to the disk 11, and is provided with a notch, a, inposition to engage the end of the springstrip H when the pinion is movedendwise in its bearings. In connection with a plate thus arranged, thepinion H is preferably held in place in its bearings by a relativelyweak connection, adapted to break and allow the pinion to moveinwardlyin case an attempt is made to shift the working parts by concussion,with a view of causing the re traction of the bolts.

The fastening device for holding the pinion in place, hereinillustrated, consists of a plate or washer, H*, which is secured to theend of the pinion by a screw, H", and extends at its edges over andbears against the plate 0. The plate N, as shown, is secured in place bya screw-stud, a, passing through said plate and Said plate N also servesto hold the roller L and cushions ZZ in place.

To prevent the shifting of the devices by which the actuatingsprings areheld by the eoncussive action of an explosive upon the time mechanism,the arm 7t of the said mechanism is preferably connected with the rod Jby means of a joint consisting of a cylindric enlargement, 75, upon theend of the arm in engaging a socket, j, in the end of the red, the saideylindrie enlargement being arranged with its central axis at rightangles to the face of the safe-door, so that thejoint may becomedisengaged by a shock tending to force the time mechanisminwardlywithout moving the parts in a direction to release theactuatinginward movement in case the time mechanv ism or a partthercofis shifted.

The inner face of the case 0 is preferably provided with hinged cover 0,Figs. 1, 3, and 4, for the purpose of protecting the several partsoutside of the ease. Said cover 0 serves also to limit the inwardmovement of the disk H in case the latter is dislodged and throwninwardly by concussion, thereby preventing said disk from being carriedpast and entirely disengaged from the plate N.

The device herein shown and preferably employed by me for holding thebolts retracted against the action of the springs G G consists of thefollowing parts:

-P is a swinging dog oivotally supported upon the vertical frame-bar Aof the door, and constructed to engage a stud, P, fixed in thecarrying-bar B, the said dog being constructed by its engagement withthe stud to hold the bolts free from the safe-jamb. As shown in Fig. 1,the dog P is provided with a shoulder, p, in its lower edge to engagethe stud P; but in another form of the device (shown in Fig. 6) the freeend of the dog is arranged to engage the said stud.

Q is a horizontal shaft or arbor which extends through the carrying-barB, and is provided at its outer end with a cam, Q, constructed to actupon the dogP in such a manner as to raise the latter free from the studP when the shaft is turned. The ,said shaft is connected at its innerend, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, with a clock-work or train of gearsactuated by a spring,(indicated as a whole by 1%,) the train beingprovided with a rotating fan or other escape device-controllin g itsspeed when its actuating-spring is allowed to un wind. The shaft Q,preferably forms an extension of the mainspring-arbor of the train, thisbeing the arbor which is acted upon by the spring with the greatestforce.

Q is a handle attached to the shaft Q for winding the spring, and Q anarm rigidly attached to the shaft and constructed to engage a stationarystop, Q, for the purpose of arresting the motion of the shaft after eachrotation of the latter. Said arm Q? is made of spring metal, so that itmay be released from the stop Q when it is desired to allow the cam torotate for the purpose of moving the dog P.

The operation of the several parts, made as hereinbefore described, isas follows: \Vhen the safe is unlocked and the door open, the cam Q willbe turned with its prominent part free from the dog P, so that the dogmay engage the stud P. The arm Q, at this time rests in contact with thestop Q, thereby holding the shaft and cam from turning, as clearly shownin Fig. 1, which represents the several parts in the position which theyoccupy after the door has been automatically unlocked, theactuatingsprings being expanded and the re- The actuating leasingdevices disengaged.

device is set for again closing the door by first setting the timemechanism and the stop J and lever I, controlled thereby, and thenturning the pinion H by power applied to the disk H, so as to compressboth sets of springs F E and G G. Any movement of the carrying-bar Bunder the action of the springs G G against the movable plate E, whichrests against the plate 13 attached to the said carrying-bar, isprevented at this time by the engagement of the dog 1? with the stud Ion said carryingbar.

When the parts are set in the manner above stated, and it is desired toclose and lock the.

by the contact of the arm Q" with the stop Q" until it is again desiredto allow the cam to move in the next locking of the door. The

. position of the parts when the door is closed and locked is shown inFigs. 2 and 3. The bolts are retracted automatically for opening thedoor at a time determined by the time mechanism, which moves the stop J,so as'to release the lever I and allow the rotation of the pinion H andthe inward movement of the sliding plate D and the carrying-bar andbolts connected therewith, in a manner heretofore explained and readilyunderstood.

It is sometimes found in automatic boltactuating devices of the generalcharacter herein described that the force required to move the stop ordetent by which the springs are held in their retracted condition isgreater than desirable for the perfect working of the time mechanism.The force required may of course be lessened by increasing the number oflevers interposed between the springs and the stop which is directlyactuated by the time the actuating-springs of the bolt-work are held.

compressed a spring or spring-motor, which is adapted to actuate thesaid movable stop, and is held from movement, when wound up orcompressed, by a part engaged with the moving part of the timemechanism. In the particular embodiment of this feature of my inventionillustrated in Fig. 6 a train of gears actuated by a spring forms theconnecting devices made otherwise than as shown.

vice between the time mechanism K and the stop J of the spring actuatingapparatus, the said train of gears being indicated as awhole by theletter S.

' S is the main or spring arbor of the train, which arbor is providedwith a cam, S", arranged in position to operate upon the arm J by whichthe stop J is moved. 1

S is an arbor of the train of gears, which is connected with andactuated from the arbor S by suitable intermediate gearings, and S is anarm upon the said arbor S adapted to engage the hooked end k of themovable arm is of the time mechanism K. An arm, 8, is desirably attachedto the arbor S in position to engage a stationary stud, s, for thepurpose'of stopping the rotation of the said arbor and the" cam afterthe latter has made one complete rotation, the spring being wound by asingle rotation of the arbor, which brings the arm S against the rearside of the stud S.

In setting the device for operation, the.

loo

erate the stop for releasing the bolt-actuating springs; and myinvention, as it relates to this feature of the device, is not thereforerestricted to a device of the particular kind shown, but includes any.device actuated by a spring, weight, or otherwise, which is applied tooperate the said stop, and is controlled by connection with a timemechanism. It will of course be understood that the bolt-actuatingdevices herein shown may be employed in connectionwith devices forreleasing the bolts for locking the door, either when said devicesembrace a spring as a means of moving the detent by which the bolts areheld retracted or when other well-known or preferred devices are usedfor the purpose. The employment, for the purpose last above referred to,of a spring-motor arranged tofmove at such speed as to allow time forclosing, the door after it is put in motion, as above described, is,however, herein broadly claimed as part of my invention, and said motormay obviously be used in connection with bolt-actuating de- The saidmotor for actuating'the detent by which the bolts are held retractedmay, furthermore, embrace, instead of an actuating-spring, an equivalentweight or other prime mover, and the said detent and motor may bemounted upon the bolt-work or upon the safe-door otherwise than in theparticular manner herein illustrated. V

The means for compressing the springs,

IIO

herein shown and comprising, mainly, a rackbar and pinion, has theimportant advantage over the toggle joints and levers heretoforeemployed for the purpose,of embracing fewer moving parts, whereby thedevice is made more simple in construction, and the parts thereof arerendered less liable to become worn and injured by the shock and strainproduced by the sudden expansion of tle springs; and a device embracingthe features of construction above mentioned, therefore, is also hereinbroadly claimed as part of myinvention in actuating devices embracinglevers and toggles for compressing the springs as heretofore made.Furthermorapower applied to the toggle for compressing the springs mustobviously be much greater at the beginning of the movement of thetogglepvhen its arms are flexed, than when the arms are approaching aposition in alignment with each other,so that a considerable exertion isrequired in the beginning of the act of compressing the springs, andmuch less when the springs are nearly compressed.

An apparatus made as proposed by me,and embracing a rack and pinion as ameans of applying power to the springs for the purpose of compressingthe same, has the in'lportant advantage that the pinion acts upon therack at all times with the same power, and the force necessary tosuitably compress the springs is thus the same at all points in themovement of the parts. It follows that the exertion of much less forceat any one time is required in winding or compressing the springs of mydevice than is required for compressing the springs in a deviceembracing toggles at the beginning ofthe movement of the said toggles.

The disk H, shown as attached to the pinion H, may obviously be replacedby an arm or arms carrying the spring-strip H and the pin H when thelatteris used. The main purpose ofthesaid springstrip HE is obviously toafford a yielding shoulder or tooth adapted to engage the lever I, andsaid strip may therefore be replaced by ayielding part or tooth,sustained or mounted in the disk or arm in any manner found convenientor desirable, with the same general result as is obtained by the deviceconstructed in the particular manner shown.

With regard to the springmotor herein shown as applied to move the dogP, which operates as a detentto hold the bolts retracted while the dooris being closed, it is obviously not essential that the rotation of thearbor to which the cam is attached should be limited to a singlerotation, it being entirely obvious that the spring by which the cam isactuated may be wound up and then allowed to unwind or expand each timethe door is closed, the rotation of the cam after the dog has beenlifted obviously having no effect thereon.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combinatiomwith the bolts of asafedoor,of actuating devices for said bolts, comprising actuating-springs, amovable rack-bar acting on the springs, and a pinion mounted on the doorand inter-meshing with said rackbar, said pinion being constructed forthe attachment of a hand-lever, whereby the pinion may be turned forcompressing the springs, substantially as described.

2. The combination,with the bolts of a safedoor,of an actuating devicefor the said bolts, comprising a movable casting or plate, as D,connected with the bolts,springs located between said movable casting orplate and a stationary surface of or upon the door, a second set ofsprings interposed between the said movable plate and .a part attachedto the bolts, a rackbar attached to said movable plate, and a pinionintermeshing with the said rack-bar, said pinion being constructed forthe attachment of a hand-lever, whereby the pinion may be turned forcompressing the springs, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the bolts of a safedoor and springs foractuating said bolts, of means for holding the springseompressed,comprising a rotating disk or arm, H, provided with ayielding tooth or shoulder, and a movable part constructed to engagesaid tooth or shoulder, substantially as described.

4. The combination,with the bolts of asafedoor and springs for actuatingsaid bolts, of means for holding the springs compressed, comprising arotating disk or arm ,H ,a springstrip, H attached to said disk or armand forming a yielding tooth or shoulder thereon, and a movable part orlever constructed to en gage the free end of said strip, substantiallyas described.

5. The combination,with the'bolts of a safedoor and springs foractuating said bolts, of means for holding the springs compressed,comprising a rotating disk or arm, H, a springstrip, H attached to saiddisk or arm, a movable part or lever constructed to engage the said arm,and a stationary stud or roller con structed to bear against the outersurface of said strip, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the bolts of a safe and actuatingsprings forsaid bolts, of means for compressing the spring,comprising a rack barand a pinion intermeshing therewith, a shoulder or projection rigidlyconnected with the pinion, and a stationary part located in position toengage the said shoulder or projection when the pinion is thrust endwisein its bearings,whereby the pinion will be held from rotation exceptwhen in its normal position, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the bolts of a safe and actuating-springs forsaid bolts, of means for compressing the bolts, comprising a rotatingarm or disk, H, provided with a yielding tooth or shoulder, meansconnecting said arm or disk with the springs, a lever engaging saidtooth or shoulder, and a stationary plate, N, provided with a notch, or,to engage the said tooth or shoulder when the arm or disk is shiftedfrom its place, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the bolts of a safe door and actuating-springsfor said bolts, a movable plate or casting, as D, engaged with thesprings and connected with the bolts, a racli-bar attached to the saidplate or casting, a p1n1on intermeshing with said rack-bar, and an armor stud attached to and turning with the pinion, of a cushion orcushions located in position to engage the said plate or casting D andthe said arm or" stud, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the bolts of a safedoor and springs foractuating the-bolts, of means for holding the bolts in their retractedposition while the door isbeing closed, comprising a detent, and aspring-motor for moving the same, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with the bolts of a safe-door and springs foractuating the bolts, of means for holding the bolts in their retractedposition while the door is being closed, comprising a detent, a rotatingcam applied to move the detent, and a spring-motor for actuating thecam, substantially as described.

safe-door and actuating-springs for the bolts, of means for holding thesprings compressed, comprising a' movable stop, a time mechanism, and aspring controlled by the time mechanism for actuating said movable stop,substantially as described.

13. The combination, with the bolts of a safe-door and actuating-springsfor said bolts,

of means for holding the springs'compr'essed, 7

comprising a movable stop, a time mechanism, a cam applied to move thesaid stop, a spring for actuating the cam, and means for holding the camfrom rotation, controlled by the time mechanism, substantially asdescribed.

14. The combination, with the stop J of a bolt-actuating mechanism, of arotating cam In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention Iaftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES o. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

O. CLARENCE PooLE, AUGUSTUS S. BURTON.

